Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapters

It seems that out of nowhere, every student at the University of Delaware wants a Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter to connect their newer MacBooks to a projector. Unfortunately, we only have eight of these popular adapters, making for some long faces as students walk away from the desk empty-handed. Here are some tips for when this problem arises:

1. If the student says that they needed the adapter for their next class, ask if the class will be over in the next four hours. If so, I recommend checking them out a Dell laptop. These laptops have VGA built-in, so the class' projector will plug right in. 

2. If a student calls and asks to put the next available adapter on hold, let them know that we do not do holds for anyone or on any items. The best thing to do in this situation is to direct them on how to check the availability online. This is how I usually go about showing them through DELCAT: 

• Type in www.udel.edu in their address bar
• Click 'LIBRARIES' (fifth tab from the left)
• Scroll down and click on 'DELCAT' 
• In the top right hand corner of this screen they should see 'Search by Collection' (click)
• Click the second to last tab on the bottom that reads 'Student Multimedia Design Center Equipment'
• In the BROWSE section (second gray section), type 'adapter' in the appropriate box. Hit 'browse'
• Click the 'NEXT' button on the right (yellow button). There are two, it doesn't matter which one is hit
• Six spots down you should see and click 'Cable, Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter' 
• Click 'All items and circulation status.' located next to 'Holdings'
• If you scroll to the bottom, you can see the due date for these adapters. It will either read 'On Shelf' or the date in which the item is due back. 

It's very important to let the student know that although the item is due back on that date, a half-hour before we close, it could be returned and checked out at any time. So, it would be wise for them to check DELCAT more than once. 

3. If worst comes to worst, the Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapters can be bought at the University of Delaware bookstore (Barnes & Noble) for $29. I've seen them for as low at $9.99 online, but the quickest way to obtain one would be the bookstore. 

Not having anymore of these adapters is the number one problem I run into while working. Although this is how I usually try to help, I'm sure there are other ways! How do you all go about the situation? 

Fun with Projectors

Hey guys!

We looked at this in one of my art/comp-sci classes and i thought i would share. All these are done with projector and 3d mapping technology on a computer. Enjoy!
http://youtu.be/bT3QDkWf4NA

Hurricanes and Power Outages - Good Reminder to Save!

Thankfully, Hurricane Sandy didn't do much damage to our lovely campus the past couple days and our power stayed on! Hip-hip hooray! But she did bring with her a strong reminder to save files. Power can go out very unexpectedly and if you care about what you are working on, you don't want to become its victim. Here are a few good ways to save files while you work:

1. Use Google Drive (formerly Google Docs). Working on Google Drive automatically saves every so often so you don't even need to remember to press the save button... unless you want to. 

2. Use AutoRecover and AutoSave in Microsoft Office. Check out these instructions to set up your Microsoft Office AutoSave options: http://word.mvps.org/faqs/general/automaticsave.htm. You can change the frequency you want your document saved so that if the power goes out it will automatically recover the files when you open it up again. 

Note: Does NOT work on library computers because ALL files are deleted upon restart.

3. Use iMovie. iMovie saves automatically after every edit to wherever you want your file saved. As with Microsoft Office, files saved onto the computers in the library will be lost upon restart so make sure you use an external hard-drive and set it up to start saving automatically to it. (You can check out an external hard-drive at the Student Multimedia Design Center service desk).

These are just three ways to make sure you don't loss all your hard work and start to cry during a power outage. Be smart, be prepared, and save!

5 Tips to Keep Your Phone Juiced for Sandy's Arrival

In our expanding digital world, we always seem to be glued to our cell phones whether we are updating a status or watching a video. Smart phones now don't just send text messages and make phone calls, but allow us to access social media, use apps, play games, and watch television shows. With the arrival of Hurricane Sandy here on the East Coast, it is essential to get the longest life out of your phone so you don't go crazy and resort to playing six hours of candlelit Monopoly. Here are some tools and tips to keep you connected longer for when the lights go out:

1) Battery Charger

       - Everyone has a charger so keep it plugged in while you still have power. "Juice packs" can also be purchased for $100 or less and provide a nice long life for your phone. Some even double as a durable case. Also, if you have a car charger, that could be your last resort if you can't take any more of Monopoly. 

2) Power Inverter

        - If you want to power something a little bigger than your iPhone, a power inverter can come in handy. It can be used to convert DC power from your car battery into AC juice for things that are normally plugged into a wall outlet. So if you want to use your laptop during an outage, head to a place like Batteries Plus or other computer stores, and find the right power inverter for you.

3) Laptop as back-up generator

        - Make sure your laptop is fully charged before you think you'll lose power. Don't use your laptop and once all your other power sources are gone, you can plug in your phone or tablet via the USB port and you'll be playing Angry Birds for a couple more hours.

4) Stop running apps

        - Apps can run quietly in the background of phones and you may not even know it. Closing these apps can end up saving battery life. For the iPhone simply double click the home button and close the apps at the bottom that come up. Also disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if possible. Try to text as well instead of calling and turn down the phone brightness to conserve juice. 

5) Use a battery-life app

        - Many free apps for both Apple iOS and Android can help extend battery life for your phone. One example is Carat, which sees how you use your smartphone and makes suggestions on which apps you might want to delete based on how much power they use. 

Use these tips to stay sane during Hurricane Sandy's visit and for the future incase you lose power. Stay safe!

For more information go to: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/29/tech/mobile/sandy-charge-devices/index.html?hpt=te_r1

Apples iTouch 5g is almost up to par with big brother, the iPhone 5

Apple is always coming out with the newest editions and updates for their most beloved products - iPods, iPhones, iPads, etc.  The highly anticipated new installment of the iPod Touch is probably the biggest update to the series yet, and it bears an uncanny resemblance to the iPhone 5.  I've noticed that as time goes on, the differences between iTouch and iPhone are slowly disappearing.  There used to be a big difference between the two products - more reasons for wanting one over the other, but now the difference are not as obvious.

The dimensions and weight are almost the same, with the iPhone 5 being understandably slightly larger.  The retina display on the iTouch 5g and iPhone 5 are exactly the same.

The new iTouch also now features things like messages, the game center, and FaceTime, which were not previously available.  After spending years wishing I had an iPhone, I can sympathize with those who want one and don't have one.  If you don't want to pay for a phone plan, the new iPod Touch 5g seems like a pretty good plan B.

Create a basic Web page using KompoZer

Did you know that as a University of Delaware student you can publish your very own web page?   This tutorial will walk you through the process and teach you how to get the site up on the world wide web.  Give it a try!

Software - Maple, Matlab, SPSS, GIS and more

Every get questions about software that we do not have in the site? 

"The University of Delaware has a site license from Mathworks to allow current Faculty/Staff to install a network version of Matlab on UD-owned and personally-owned computers."  You can find the link from the University of Delaware:  IT Support Center web page. 

Access the page here: Scientific and Research Software

Pixlr: Free Web-Based Photo Editing

Have you ever needed to composite some images together or make some quick touch-ups of photos but have been away from Photoshop?

Last spring, I had to quickly create a temporary header image for a website but was without access to Photoshop. Thankfully, I came across a free, web-based editor called Pixlr. While many sites and photo sharing apps allow us to make some basic color or lighting adjustments, Pixlr raises the bar by allowing users to create an entirely new composition on a blank or even transparent canvas. That particular feature is much harder to come by with web-based editors and makes the software an excellent back-up for designers when Photoshop is out of reach.

If you really dig it, Pixlr is also available for free download for offline use on Windows machines. Check out www.pixlr.com to get started!

Sony announces a new 20-inch, 11 pound tablet PC with Windows 8

Sony is coming out with a new VAIO tablet PC with the new  Windows 8 OS. Compared to other tablets that are currently in the market, this new tablet stands tall with a whopping 20-inch screen and weighs about 11 pounds.
This new tablet is designed so that the user can either stand it up making it more similar to a PC or the user can not use the stand and use it like a traditional tablet. This new tablet is a hybrid between a computer and a tablet and has a screen that can recognize up to 10 fingers. The only downside of this new tablet is the battery life which limits users to about 2 hours of play time.

 I believe the price is around $879 for a base model.

Sony VAIO Tablet

GoPro Hero3 Now available for Pre-order

Just in time for us to finally get the GoPro Hero2, the GoPro Hero 3 White, Silver, and Black editions are now available for pre-order.  The Hero3 is smaller than the 2 and now takes MicroSD HC(High Capacity) memory cards as opposed to standard SD cards.

The Black edition includes a WiFi remote with an LCD readout showing the same information as you can see on the camera.  Also, the Black edition has 4Kp at 12 frames per second and 2.7Kp at 30 frames per second.  I'm sure you all know 1080p.  That's what these resolutions are... only 2700 and 4000 instead of 1080.  That's incredible!  Probably won't help much on a TV screen but it would look crisp on a high end computer monitor, or will let you crop the video pretty far while still retaining very high quality.  You can check out the specs/prices/etc. at the following web address.

GoPro Hero3

I don't expect to get this soon (if at all) but it's nice to know what the newer model is in case a user needs more than what we off and has up to $400 of expendable income.

Photoshop Tutorials

Hey everyone, while doing my project for the SMDC, I've come across some interesting and helpful tutorials for Photoshop. Since I am doing a poster, these tutorials are incredibly useful and have made my project look a great deal better. The tutorials I focused on were for backgrounds, which I think are easy to do and can make your project go from amateur looking to professional looking. Hongkiat.com has a webpage named "40 Cool Abstract and Background Designs" and I would recommend the "Swoshy Lines" one for a cool background-ribbon effect. These tutorials break down the process step by step and even if you are new to Photoshop, you shouldn't have much trouble recreating the patterns.
Hope they are as helpful for you as they were for me.
Here's the link:
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/40-cool-abstract-and-background-photoshop-tutorials/

Calculators

I have been asked for a calculator more than once now for a class exam.  If this has happened to you, do not forget that the Educational Resource Center has them.  The ERC has an online catalog, and they have a lot more to loan than just calculators.  Check them out!

For Mac users in Powerpoint

It seems that the latest Mac-based version of PowerPoint (PowerPoint for Mac 2011) does not have the ability to directly embed YouTube videos into slides. The one workaround I know of involves converting the video to a file type compatible with Macs (Quicktime's MOV format) before opening it in PowerPoint. Are there any regular Mac users that have a better solution to this issue?

Scratching the Surface

The tablet industry is booming, with many people now sporting various kinds of flat electronic devices from Kindles and Nooks for reading to iPads and more fully-functional tablets. Microsoft has capitalized on this with their soon-to-be-released proprietary tablet, the Surface.

When I heard about it, I was skeptical, but looking into it, it looks like a really cool piece of technology. It runs on Windows 8, inspired by the Windows Phone OS and layout, with the multiple panes and the constant social connection and the automatic updates. The professional version of Windows 8 allows you to also drop out of the live-pane layout and go back to the original Windows start menu desktop view, which I think is a very cool innovation, because it gives that desktop familiarity. Also a new innovation with this tablet OS is the ability to open side-by-side windows on a tablet, similar to the snag feature of Windows, an ability that no other tablet on the market can do. Hardware wise, the Surface features a built-in flip-out kickstand on the back so that you can stand it up on a table without having a bulky cover. However, a cover is recommended, because the Surface cover features a magnetic bluetooth keyboard/touch mouse. It also features front and back facing 720p HD cameras.

Obviously Microsoft's answer to the iPad, the new tablet will be released on October 26th. The basic 32GB version without the cover is $499, with the cover is $599, and the 64GB version with the cover is $699. The current iPad out is $499 for a 16GB version, and then the same price for 32 and 64GB. These tablets are useful and innovative, given they're made by the two top computer companies out there right now, but one must question the necessity of getting a tablet that costs so much with not many features included, when a netbook or even a laptop run half as expensive, include much more, are more durable, and much more useful.

To iPad users, do you think it's worth it? Would anyone consider giving this new tablet a shot?

Isn't Sibelius a type of cloud? Nope it's a music program!

Sibelius, what is that? Isn't that a type of cloud or something? Those were my first thoughts when I heard of this unique program. So what is Sibelius? Really?

Being a non-music major, and not being very talented in audio recording, I've never even heard of Sibelius until I started working at SMDC! Honestly, as of today I was still rather clueless as to the benefits our students would have using the program.

Then today a fellow classmate of mine asked about our sound studio and after talking about her projects for a few minutes I recommended her to try using Sibelius for her music composing, knowing that many music majors use it. Yes, even though I personally know little of the program.

After hearing the program start up, yes its an audible experience, it peaked my interest! Yes, I am that easily amused! So what exactly is Sibelius? What can it do? What makes it different from programs such as Audacity or GarageBand?



First let me just say, it is nothing like either of those two programs. Sibelius takes composing to a deeper level. 



Here are a few key points that their website makes:

• Intuitive music notation software makes it easy to get great results without prior experience
• Let the innovative, task-oriented interface guide you through the songwriting process
• Scan printed sheet music, transcribe audio, or play MIDI instruments to get your ideas into Sibelius First—and transfer music between applications via MusicXML interchange
• Add chord symbols and guitar fretboard diagrams by playing a MIDI keyboard or guitar
• Turn guitar tab into notation, and back again
• Take advantage of built-in smart tools to get great results without engraving or notation expertise
• Magnetic Layout prevents collisions and moves score elements into position automatically
• Dynamic Parts automatically update when you change your score
• Easily add lyrics, titles, other text, and graphics
• Hear your compositions in amazing detail thanks to the professional-quality sound library
• Expand your sonic palette with VST/AU virtual instruments or effects
• Enjoy tons of sharing options—export scores as videos or audio files, publish directly to social media, publish online, email, print, make a PDF, and more

 So what does that translate to, for us non-music majors, it means:

• Easy to use
• guides to help walk you through a process
• import music from all sorts of methods (sheet music, audio files, etc)
• Add diagrams to your music
• Smart tools, do I need to say more!?
• Add words, titles, graphics
• Play back with real sounding instruments!
• Share your ingenious work with the WORLD!

Sounds like something you need to try, you should! Stop on by the Student Multimedia Design Center!

You can also find out more and even watch videos at:
http://www.sibelius.com/products/sibelius/7/index.html

Vinyl sales up (article, Nico quoted)

Vinyl record sales are up, and The Review has an article about it. Nico is quoted (on page 2) with some insights. Looks like the end of the article was cut off in the online version but there are plenty of print copies around campus. Just a reminder we do have a USB turntable for anyone who wants to convert vinyl to digital. Having grown up in the age of vinyl, I still like the artwork and the sound of vinyl too, though I like being able to switch tracks quickly on CDs and avoid some of the wear issues with vinyl. WVUD still has a large record collection and some DJs play them. Are any of you vinyl fans?

Acoustic Barcodes

This is just a research project out of Carnegie Mellon at this point, but I could see it taking off.  I thought the part where the presenter was controlling a presentation with sound was an interesting multimedia application.  Also thinking about checking out equipment with these types of barcodes, and using it as a teaching moment to talk about audio waveforms.  Geeky, I know....

Final Cut Pro X

Final Cut Pro X was released in June 2011 to nearly unanimous poor reviews.  Why? The Apple developers decided to essentially start over with the application (hence the jump from 7 to X), and in doing so dropped dozens of features that pro editors relied on.  Missing features included: broadcast monitoring, multicam editing, output to tape, compatibility with older versions of Final Cut Pro, etc.  Many editors, myself included, felt that Final Cut Pro had been "dumbed-down" to appeal to a larger audience.  Now that it has been out over a year and has had five crucial updates, some editors are coming around, as the Apple developers have added back in some of those missing features.  Here at the Student Multimedia Design Center, we are still teaching and using Final Cut Pro 7, but we are getting ready to add Final Cut Pro X sometime in the next year.  The applications are so different that we will initially have both installed so that users have the choice which to use. Here are a few resources, if you are interested in learning more:

Background:

Apple's Final Cut Pro X Overview - biased, but is a good introduction to the new features.

Steve Martin's Overview is good if you are familiar with previous versions of Final Cut Pro, and want intelligent analysis of the major differences.

NY Times Article outlining video editor's complaints back when it was released.

Creative Cow's "Apple FCPX or Not: The Debate Forum" is a lively place for discussion on Final Cut Pro X and the alternatives.

99 Requests for Final Cut Pro X - With the faster release cycle, Apple seems more responsive to suggestions to improve the software.  These 99 requests are interesting to browse.  I know I hope for selective copy and paste of attributes. I use that all the time in FCP 7.

Tutorials/ Training:

Lynda.com (paid) is leading the charge right now, with over 20 hours of video training on FCPX.

Youtube Playlists (free) some of these might be useful.  I know Larry Jordan is a trusted source for Final Cut Pro info.

Ken Stone (free) always has some good free articles.

Creative Cow Video Tutorials are usually good for picking up specific skills/tips.

Creative Cow Forums are great for asking questions and troubleshooting.

Nicely Designed Website Templates for Photoshop

I came across some nice templates that can help make creating a website a whole lot easier. It can be frustrating or difficult to create a website from scratch and a bit of a creative helping hand can go a long way! Available here are 40 PSD (Photoshop) files with very nice website themes. They offer things like social media buttons, a default layout scheme, and nice texture/elements.

These templates are a great resource and start to creating your own custom and unique website. While you can use the template and not change it much, it's also nice to change/swap things around to make a truly unique site. Take buttons from one template, the background from another, and the layout scheme from a third source. Maybe experiment with using textures from other sources like Lost & Taken to add additional elements to your web space!

Links:
40 Website Templates in PSD Format
HQ Texture Resource

Are Great Schools Multimedia Champs?

Wonder how colleges and universities have dealt with the changes we've seen on the internet in the last ten years? Last week, Charlie posted a link to an infographic charting these stunning developments. It turns out that the brains behind Best Education Sites created the graphic, and so, with my interest piqued, I checked out their site. I was greeted with yet another fascinating infographic that compares social media presence among schools and explores the relationship between top-tier higher ed institutions and multimedia savvy.

Even since I've been at the University, I've witnessed...

• a major overhaul of our website's aesthetics, organization, and color choice
• a large increase in our presence on Twitter
• and an expansion of contests that involve user-generated media and social networks (photo scavenger hunts using instagram, for instance). 

UD knows that to establish itself as an East Coast Classic, it must keep in step with the web presence of prestigious schools like Harvard and University of California Berkley. Also of note: we're one of the 15% of sites that feature the color blue prominently! Scroll down to the end of the inforgaphic to view more stats and comparisons.

Video contest travel abroad

Deadline: 31th October 2012
Open to: Individuals who are 18+ and already enrolled or planning to enroll in college or university outside of their home country
Prize: $4,000

Read more: http://www.mladiinfo.com/2012/09/21/travel-video-contest-2012/#ixzz28fPP9d9G

Media College - Online Information

Looking for info on how to set up a scene?  Need to know about focus and depth of field?  Want to put your video online via a streaming server?  Well, Media College can help you out with all these things and many, many more.  Check out their guides and tutorials and see what you never thought to ask!  (http://www.mediacollege.com/)

Choosing a Font? How?

One of the hardest parts of doing any graphic design, especially for those of us that aren't well versed, is choosing fonts to apply to our work. Even if you can come up with a good font, how do you actually learn from your choice? How will you figure out a good one next time? Enter Smashing Magazine's article: “What Font Should I Use?”: Five Principles for Choosing and Using Typefaces. Dan Mayer steps through the basics, from the different overarching styles to finding ways of combining the different styles and maintaining a cohesive look. It's made a huge impact on how I do my designs, and will hopefully be a great asset to everyone.

Another Day, Another Upgrade

This past weekend my friend came to visit and immediately started raving about the new Mac software, OS X 10.8, or Mountain Lion. I am usually hesitant to the new "upgrades" that seem to come out every couple months, faster than I can keep up. After five minutes of nodding my head to claims i barely understood and him offering it to me for free since he'd already paid for it for his computer, I gave in.

The new software, also known as Mountain Lion a step up from Lion, provides all kinds of new opportunities. One major step is the advancement in the icloud system bringing all of your mac products together. The ipad and the iphone were already easily synchronized but now your computer is part of the mix. Along with all of the zoom in and out sorts of features by using your fingers on the mouse pad, Mountain Lion offers many others. Swiping three fingers brings you to the app center, pulling down with three fingers spreads out all of your windows, or all of your tabs in the opposite direction. You can also change your scroll button to match the way it is on the iphone. These plus plenty more that it offers are great when you're working on things because it makes it so much easier to switch back and forth and see everything you are using without having to minimize and search with your mouse. Resembling the iphone, the new software offers a calendar, note pad and app store. It also incorporates the "sharing" abilities of your phone so you if you're on a web page you can share it to your facebook, twitter, email it or message it.

One of the coolest things, I think, is the ability to text message on your computer. Of course, it is only imessage so you have to be texting an iphone but if you're someone like me who always forgets to charge their phone it can be very helpful. (Also pretty sneaky in classes you're not allowed to have your phone in.)

The Mountain Lion update costs $20.00 but is a great upgrade for your computer. I'm discovering new features every day and am very grateful that it wasn't hard to get used to at all. If you are a mac user I definitely recommend buying the software or finding a friend who will share it with you. Not only are there great advancements that make life easier but new change is always fun!

Getting A Closer Look

For those of you who are Mac users, you may find my story to be a helpful trick.

Between classes today I was hastily checking and responding to e-mails on my MacBook Pro. While doing so, I accidentally activated my Mac OS X’s Accessibility Feature. For those of you like me, completely unaware about this feature, it is a feature that allows Mac users to zoom in on various parts of their laptop screen.

Although it is a great feature for users who desire a close-up view of a graphic, wish to combat eye fatigue, or are sight-impaired, it initially set me in a panic. Not sure of what I had just done, I began trying to get my computer to return to normal through a series of trial and error processes. What I ultimately discovered was, if you hold down the control key and move two of your fingers simultaneously upward you will activate your computers zoom-in function. Portions of your screen will become no longer visible due to zooming-in. However, you can still view these areas by simply moving your curser to the edge of the screen where you would like to see further.

To restore your computer back to normal, hold down the control key and move two of your fingers simultaneously downward. Your computers zoom-out function will activate and you will once again be able to see your entire screen. One way to check if your screen is completely zoomed-out is by looking in the upper left and right corners of your menu bar. If you do not see the Apple and Spotlight icons, then you’re still partially zoomed-in.

Now that you are aware of the accessibility feature on your Mac computer, I hope that you take the time to try it out! After you understand how to access this feature, you may find that it is actually fun to tinker around with! Additionally, I have personally already found it to be an incredibly useful feature; you never know when you may need to get a closer look at something on your screen.

Career Services Video Contest

I must've missed the announcement for this, but wanted to make sure that you all knew. There's a yearly Career Services Video Contest (you'll have to scroll down for the actual link) and the deadline is Nov. 9.
First place -- $600 cash card Second prize -- $300 cash card Third prize -- $100 cash card
The Student Multimedia Design Center is mentioned here: Bonus: The Top 3 videos will be posted on YouTube and the Career Services website. Don’t have video equipment? No problem! You can borrow a variety of equipment kits from the service desk at the Student Multimedia Design Center located in Morris Library.
Please post other contests that you see. Just today I noticed that for the Homecoming Court nominees had to submit a video and were also told to come to the Student Multimedia Design Center for help. Yay! I love when others on campus promote this great service!

It's Cyber Security Month

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month! IT on campus is participating with many resources and a meme contest for students and staff, see UDaily article. Every Friday in October they will post entries on their Facebook and Pinterest page to be voted on. The "Are You Smarter Than Your Smartphone" video is funny. See article for links. Question: Do you think most students take cyber security seriously enough? Do you know of any bad experiences with cyber security? Rich

The Internet Over A Decade

There's no denying that computers have increasingly become a larger part of our lives over the past decade. However, this info graphic really puts it in perspective. It details the evolution of the internet since 2002. The most shocking statistic is that ten years ago the average time spent on the internet was just 46 minutes per day. Today, it is 4 hours! Our increasing dependence on computers and new forms of technology is why the Student Multimedia Design Center exists. We help the UD community with adapting to changes made in technology and provide some of the newest, top of the line multimedia tools. It's hard to say what changes the internet and technology will go through within the next decade, but it is safe to assume that things will become faster, more efficient, and those that do not adapt to the changes will be left behind.

Windows 8 Release Preview

With Apple taking the spotlight in recent years when it comes to computer technology, we may have forgotten about computer software mogul, Microsoft.  Making the switch to use Apple computers a couple of years ago myself, I’m the first to admit I’ve lost touch with the interface and software updates Microsoft has made.  Microsoft recently announced Windows 8, a new version of its program with innovative and original changes.  Below I’ll list some of the easy and user-friendly features that Windows 8 has created.

-       With the new People Application you can link up every social media platform you are a member of.  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkIn, etc. are all interconnected and posts can simultaneously reach all platforms straight from your computer desktop.

-       Additionally, all of your Facebook photos are organized into albums and easily accessible from the desktop.  

-       You can link up every email account you have an address with and view all messages in one screen.

-        Windows has developed their very own “iTunes Store” stocked with electronic applications falling into categories such as games, social, photos, music, news etc.

-       The “Charms Bar” conveniently displays all devices connected to the computer such as a USB key or SD card.  The Charms Bar also acts as a search engine for the computer, prompted by simply typing in a command.

-       The Skydrive is a file hosting service, which lets users upload files to the largest online storage device in existence.  The amount of memory available in Skydrive far surpasses Apple’s “iCloud”.

Once Windows 8 is released we’ll see how well it stacks up against Apple’s reigning computer products!